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Rivian, renowned for its electric trucks and SUVs, is now pivoting decisively into autonomous driving. Their CEO emphasizes their commitment to building the hardware platform, data architecture, and data flywheel necessary for high levels of self-driving capability. Rivian's R&D spend prioritizes autonomy, with billions allocated toward developing a foundation model that enables full self-driving features.
The company has demonstrated a significant milestone: the deployment of vehicles capable of point-to-point fully autonomous driving, indicating progress toward level four autonomy, where a vehicle can operate without a human in the driver’s seat. While initially targeting consumer use, Rivian’s technology also opens the door to ride-sharing applications, including robo taxis.